[...]Instead, extra content and services will be available through an app
store, which Mr Halton likes - naturally - to compare to Apple’s iPhone
marketplace. Unlike that app store, however, YouView will have no rights
to veto apps before they appear on its platform, taking reactive
measures only in the event of obscenity or technological foul-up.

“On Freeview, a lot of [smaller TV channels] wouldn’t get any
access,” he says. “It’s not even a question of prominence - there are
only so many broadcast slots in the UK and they retail at £10m a year.
Canvas lowers the barriers to entry radically. We are building a system
that really understands originality.”

Regional broadcasters - and local advertisers - will be interested to
know that YouView will detect its location from its IP address, or even
a postcode, if the viewer enters it. “All of a sudden you have a much
more regional perspective.”

The lack of browser, he adds, is simply to ensure the service looks good on the TV set, and also helps with security.

The detection of the IP address or even postcode is interesting for location based advertising, which will increase both relevancy and revenue for both parties. For users it will decrease the irrelevancy of advertisements and could help tCommerce in terms of recognition and demand.